In today's widely used IP (internet protocol) networks, the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is commonly used to dynamically assign an IP address to an electrical device coupled to a network. DHCP is a useful and convenient mechanism that allows new electrical devices to connect to a network without manual configuration. Although DHCP allows the assignment of a dynamic IP address to an electrical device, no convenient method exists for other electrical devices or users to determine the new dynamically assigned IP address of the electrical device. Because the IP address has been dynamically assigned, the IP address can change every time the electrical device is plugged into the network, removed, and plugged in again so the dynamically assigned IP address of the electrical device may need to be repeatedly determined.
Many methods to retrieve the dynamically assigned IP address involve using proprietary visual user interfaces of the electrical device or a gateway device. For example, if the electrical device has a visual display capability (e.g., laptops, mobile phones, printers with an LCD display, game consoles coupled to a television, etc.), a proprietary method of navigating a visual user interface usually exists to allow the user to determine the new dynamically assigned IP address.
In the same or different examples, the router or other gateway device that hosts the DHCP server can have a proprietary visual user interface that allows the user to navigate a series of screens, menu items, and/or commands to determine the newly assigned dynamic IP address for the electrical device. However, in this method, the user is required to know the MAC (media access control, or hardware) address of the electrical device and then look up the MAC address in a table to find the associated dynamically assigned IP address.
Furthermore, standard and widely adopted protocols such as UPnP (universal plug and play), DLNA (digital living network alliance), and Bonjour work in the application layer above TCP/IP (transmission control protocol/internet protocol) and allow for dynamic discovery of new electrical devices provided that those new electrical devices also participate in and support the proprietary discovery protocol. However, these protocols are generally only useful within a local private network. If the proprietary discovery protocol works in both private and public networks, the proprietary discovery protocol requires the user to enter two different addresses to access the electrical device depending on whether the user is inside or outside of the local network.
Accordingly, a need or potential for benefit exists for a method and/or system that allow a user to discover easily a dynamically assigned IP address for an electrical device and to access and use the electrical device without knowing the DHCP address.
For simplicity and clarity of illustration, the drawing figures illustrate the general manner of construction, and descriptions and details of well-known features and techniques may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the invention. Additionally, elements in the drawing figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention. The same reference numerals in different figures denote the same elements.
The terms “first,” “second,” “third,” “fourth,” and the like in the description and in the claims, if any, are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a particular sequential or chronological order. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances such that the embodiments described herein are, for example, capable of operation in sequences other than those illustrated or otherwise described herein. Furthermore, the terms “include,” and “have,” and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, system, article, device, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to those elements, but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, system, article, device, or apparatus.
The terms “left,” “right,” “front,” “back,” “top,” “bottom,” “over,” “under,” and the like in the description and in the claims, if any, are used for descriptive purposes and not necessarily for describing permanent relative positions. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances such that the embodiments of the invention described herein are, for example, capable of operation in other orientations than those illustrated or otherwise described herein.
The terms “couple,” “coupled,” “couples,” “coupling,” and the like should be broadly understood and refer to connecting two or more elements or signals, electrically, mechanically and/or otherwise. Two or more electrical elements may be electrically coupled but not be mechanically or otherwise coupled; two or more mechanical elements may be mechanically coupled, but not be electrically or otherwise coupled; two or more electrical elements may be mechanically coupled, but not be electrically or otherwise coupled. Coupling may be for any length of time, e.g., permanent or semi-permanent or only for an instant.
“Electrical coupling” and the like should be broadly understood and include coupling involving any electrical signal, whether a power signal, a data signal, and/or other types or combinations of electrical signals. “Mechanical coupling” and the like should be broadly understood and include mechanical coupling of all types.
The absence of the word “removably,” “removable,” and the like near the word “coupled” and the like does not mean that the coupling, etc. in question is or is not removable.